London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang’s quest for glory took another significant step when he signed up a long-term contract with former World champion Peter Sidi of Hungary with the specific intention of producing Olympic medallists.
The 45-year-old Hungarian shooter is in the City training a select batch of 30 shooters (both boys and girls) in rifle and pistol categories, essentially picked from the national selection trials and dreaming big.
“Me and Sidi have competed together at many competitions. He is a dedicated master at work. The shooters are fortunate to be able to get the knowledge. There will be a special session for the budding and upcoming shooters of Telangana during the camp,” Gagan explained in a chat with The Hindu.
“This is part of our Project Leap programme, supported by Olympic Gold Quest, which aims at ensuring there is a continuity to producing champion shooters who can be potential medal contenders in Olympics,” said Gagan, who is also the vice-president of Indian Olympic Association.
“Most of them will be below 21 years of age and this is part of the Olympic Cycle through which we aspire to produce champions,” he added.
The shooters will be training at the SATS Gachibowli shooting ranges on the University of Hyderabad campus and also at Gun For Glory Academy in Pune to make them acclimatise to different conditions.
“Obviously, I am glad with the way the Gun For Glory has contributed to the success story of Indian shooting, the best example being our own Hyderabadi Esha Singh, who won four medals in the Hangzhou Asiad (one gold, three silver),” he said.
Peter Sidi will be engaged in the high-performance programme for the first time for one full year and it encompasses most of the significant aspects of any athlete’s training ensuring the desired support system.
“I am honoured to join GNSPF as a coach for Project Leap. The Academy has always been at the forefront of fostering shooting talent, and I look forward to working with passionate athletes and contributing to their growth. Together, we will strive to produce champions who will make their mark on the world stage,” said Sidi.
“We also make sure that this young talent get the best of the opportunities by charting out the tournament schedule where they can showcase their skills,” said Shivam Yadav, head of operations at the Academy.
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